Fiberglass insulation batts are typically installed within the exterior walls of commercial or residential structures for improving their thermal characteristics. Where, for example, such a wall comprises a typical frame including vertically oriented 2″×4″ by 8′ pine lumber studs spaced 24″ on center, fiberglass insulation batts measuring approximately 8′×2′×4″ are commonly provided as a factory pre-cut product. Such batts may be conveniently installed by stapling between such studs. Where such insulation batting must be installed above and below a window or above a doorway, the batting is necessarily trimmed or cut to a measured vertical lengths matching the vertical wall spacings presented above and below such structures.
Where, for example, a batt of insulation is to be installed within a vertical space between an exterior wall's foot board and a framed window's lower threshold, a carpenter typically measures the vertical length of such space and attempts to make a matching measured and laterally extending cut across an insulation batt. In attempting such matching measured cut, the carpenter typically lays the batt horizontally upon a bench or floor surface and utilizes a metal tape measure to mark a desired lateral cut line along the vertical length batt. However, such insulation batts do not present any solid corner or edge surface which is capable of securely engaging the tape measure's hook or tang. Thus, the carpenter must visually estimate an alignment of the tape measure's hook while observing and marking the cut line gradation. Estimating the placement of the hook end with respect to the batt, as opposed to solidly engaging the hook upon the batt, results in inaccurate placement of the tape measure end, and causes errors in measuring of the batt.
Following measuring, the carpenter typically draws a “line of sight” laterally extending cut line across the batt's paper backing with a pencil. Thereafter, the carpenter manually downwardly compresses the insulation toward the floor with one hand while progressively laterally cutting the insulation with a utility knife held by the other hand. Such common insulation sizing and cutting method commonly results in undesirable ragged and inaccurately cut edges.
The combined above described cutting inaccuracy factors associated with common insulation batt sizing processes undesirably result in insulation batt shortage or wastage.
The instant inventive fiberglass insulation batt sizing device solves or ameliorates problems discussed above by providing a mechanically simple tool for laterally compressing an insulation batt, for assisting in accurately measuring and locating a lateral cut line, and for guiding a compressed and straight lateral cut line across an insulation batt.